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"Space Black" looks badass — period. When Apple debuted the Space Black MacBook Pro at the "Scary Fast" Apple livestream event in October, I was salivating.

There's something mysterious, smoldering, and seductive about it.

If the Space Black MacBook Pro were personified, I'd imagine it'd be Morpheus from The Matrix or a mature Wednesday Addams. Or better yet, a film noir detective with a confident swagger, dressed in an onyx suit, sitting in a billow of smoke as he puffs his cigar in a seedy bar.

Space Black isn't just a color to me. It's a mood, a vibe — one that matches my silent mystique and enigmatic introvert personality. And I want it on everything, including the upcoming iPhone 16.

SEE ALSO: IOS 18 tipped to get 3 new AI features, including Siri summarizing your texts Space Black debuted last year, but with limitations

As mentioned at the outset, Apple unveiled the new Space Black MacBook Pro last year — and it had Apple enthusiasts in a tizzy.

The Space Black MacBook Pro was revealed last October. Credit: Apple

It's not just the color that had people chatting. It featured a fingerprint-resistant, dark-aluminum finish, which had folks, including myself, in a chokehold.

I adore the color on my 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, which comes in Midnight Blue. (It's the closest I could get to black with Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver on the menu.) However, I do need to keep a microfiber cloth handy; it attracts fingerprints like bees to honey.

My M2 15-inch MacBook Air Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Space Black on the MacBook Pro, on the other hand, features a "breakthrough chemistry" finish, as Apple calls it, that forms an anodization seal to keep pesky fingerprints at bay. Insert the heart-eyes emoji here!

However, if you wanted a Space Black MacBook Pro, you'd be nuts to think you could grab the cheapest model, starting at $1,599 (MacBook Pro with M3 chip). You'd have to snag, at the very least, the M3 Pro MacBook Pro, which sets you back $1,999. Oof! Guess my dreams on typing on a laptop that looks ripped out of a black Optimus Prime will have to wait.

Space Black certainly isn't Apple's first pure black MacBook color. As Inverse pointed out, Apple released the first black MacBook in 2006 (though the first black Apple laptop was the G3 Powerbook.)

Apple G3 Powerbook Credit: Shutterstock-Pixelsquid / Shutterstock.com

And well, since then, you'd be hard-pressed to find a black MacBook. As such, I can't help but wonder if this is a brilliant marketing ploy where the Cupertino-based tech giant was playing the long game.

Black is prevalent among other laptop brands (e.g., Lenovo), but the scarcity of true black among MacBooks had "people losing their minds," as Inverse said, when Apple unveiled the Space Black MacBook Pro last year.

If Apple could make an even darker, richer color than Space Black — the blackest black to ever black in the history of black — I'd lose my mind, too.

There's now a 'Space Black' iPad — is this a sign?

Fortunately, it looks like Space Black won't be limited to the M3 Pro MacBook Pro. Apple unveiled the new iPad Pro and I gasped when I heard that it comes in Space Black, starting with $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch model.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

It's a more accessible entry into Space Black. And naturally, the iPad Air, priced at $599, got locked out of the Space Black fun. You can only choose from Space Gray, Blue, Purple, and Starlight. Blue and Purple look OK, but they're too muted for my tastes. I prefer rich, vivid hues.

Sadly, though, the Space Black iPad does not come with the same fingerprint-resistant seal featured on the Space Black M3 Pro MacBook Pro.

I want my iPhone 16 in dark mode, please

The last iPhone I truly loved was the Pacific Blue, which was featured on my iPhone 12 Pro. It was so stunning, I risked a cracked screen to go caseless.

Pacific Blue in all of its glory Credit: NYC Russ / Shutterstock.com

Granted, the iPhone 15 Pro models, featuring a new titanium chassis, do come in "Titanium Black," but it's not the same. The Titanium Black lacks the richness and vividness I'm looking for in a pure onyx chassis.

So here's my plea to Apple: I want the iPhone 16 to look like it was dipped in jet-black ink, as if you'd find it on Batman's desk in his Batcave or his bedroom dresser in Wayne Manor. I want a dark mode iPhone 16 — a Space Black iPhone 16, to be specific.

I want to walk around with a badass iPhone 16 Pro Max with an inky-black hue — and bonus points if it has some sort of anti-smudge tech. (Though it's worth noting that iPhone 15 Pro Max, which I've had the pleasure of testing, didn't have any issues with fingerprints, thanks to the brushed metal.)

Apple, of course, is going to do what Apple wants, but I'm crossing my fingers that my prayers are answered — and Space Black iPhone 16 Pro models are revealed in September later this year. (If not iPhone 16, I'll wait for the iPhone 17.)

Finally, I'd die and go to heaven if a blackest-black finish came to the AirPods Pro and Apple Pencil Pro. Hell, let's get an inky-black colorway for every Apple product that matches my cold, black heart.

Cultural events in the digital age take a familiar shape. There is the central story — in this case, the truly vicious beef between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake — and then a whole array of tendrils stemming from that core event. The main thing feeds, for better or worse, a content ecosystem.

The Kendrick vs. Drake fracas has birthed a cottage industry of reactions online. Sure, the beef is ruthless. Families are involved, alleged secrets are out, potential false flag operations are at play, and serious criminal allegations have been levied. There have also been countless avenues for creators to get involved, if not necessarily directly engaging with the nastier bits of the beef. There are lyrics to parse through and disses that inspire significant reactions to the various new tracks dropping.

In short, even something like the Drake vs. Kendrick beef — honestly, especially something like the beef — is an opportunity for creators to grow their reach. It's a natural fit for some because they're already talking about it.

"I try to keep up with anything that goes down in music," Jordan Bowles, a 21-year-old creator in Indiana, told Mashable. "The first time I talked specifically about Kendrick and Drake, the beef, I called it over after 'Euphoria' came out."

The video immediately found its audience, shooting up to nearly 20,000 views.

SEE ALSO: Is Drake really the master of his own memes?

But the battle was far from over, as we all know. Bowles is the kind of TikTok creator you'd expect to jump into the beef. Scroll through his profile, and you'll find many posts about hip-hop, pop culture, and other little life observations you'd typically see on the platform.

Not to fully relitigate the battles between Kendrick and Drake, but there have been many back-and-forth allegations — some serious and, importantly, unproven. Drake levied an allegation of domestic abuse, and Lamar came back with, well, a lot, including accusations of pedophilia. Many outlets have done an excellent job breaking down the beef timeline. The consensus seems that Lamar "won" the battle via the back-to-back offerings of "Meet the Grahams" and "Not Like Us," which shot to the top of streaming charts.

The fight still rages online, even though Kendrick and Drake have reached a standstill. Bowles posted regularly as the tracks dropped, typically writing his thoughts in captions over a video of him listening to the song. Like many others, he felt Kendrick was winning the battle. He did a simple video about "Meet the Grahams," noting that Drake should've never brought up the family because he couldn't keep up with Kendrick's response. It's racked up 4 million views, by far Bowles' most-watched TikTok ever. It's quite the number for a creator who just now climbed above 18,000 followers.

It was a big moment for Bowles, who is trying to carve out a lane as a creator.

"My phone's going off, view after view after view. I'm checking every 10 seconds because I'm excited," he said.

Some of his other videos on the feud have racked up anywhere from 60,000 to 900,000 views, which are all big numbers for a micro-content creator. His account also saw a roughly 12 percent jump in followers after he started talking about the beef.

However, someone like Bowles is relatively tiny compared to other creators. A handful of already-popular personalities have focused on the Drake vs. Kendrick saga. Already a popular and controversial influencer, Kai Cenat has racked up millions of views and, one assumes, a good amount of cash covering the beef. There are also creators like rapper Scru Face Jean, who was already somewhat popular but, like Bowles, has seen his numbers grow from focusing on the beef. The most viewed TikToks on his page, some floating around a million views, are all about Kendrick vs. Drake, while his music and other hip-hop reactions show way less engagement.

That's the thing, though. The creators who are seemingly capitalizing on the beef had to have earned it. They were already focused on the hip-hop space when this huge moment came around.

"I value my take and feelings in the whole thing," Bowles said. If people knew you were into hip-hop, your thoughts might break through. For instance, Bowles said he tried to have exciting and opinionated reactions.

"Every diss that has come out, I've listened to it three, four, five times before I wrote down some thoughts," he said. "And after I pulled myself together, I texted a few people to get different sides of how they feel about it. I would then piece together my thoughts."

Then he'd post a summary of those thoughts via text over a video of him reacting.

"It was a good recipe," Bowles said.

These moments can be big business for creators — even if, again, we're talking about a vicious verbal fight that some are concerned has inspired real-world violence. Smaller creators, like Bowles, might get hit up to hawk products in the TikTok shop (he declined such offers). For someone like Cenat, the vast payouts come with viral YouTube videos.

SEE ALSO: In 2023, everyone tuned into Bravo's drama

While the subjects addressed within the beef are severe, the notion of rap beef itself is a relatively low-stakes but high-interest subject for a creator to cover. It has drama and endless fodder — think of all the lyrics you could break down. It's like reality TV. Think of the reactions, theories, and amateur sleuthing that arose out of the Scandoval saga from Bravo's Vanderpump Rules. At least in the digital world, it's an opportunity to react, take sides, and find nuggets of info. You can go through Kendrick's lyrics and Tom Sandoval's Instagram page with effectively the same fine-tooth internet-comb, even if the subjects are quite different.

In short, everything with drama is grist for the internet's mill. So long as Drake and Kendrick are beefing, people will get views off it. Currently, however, we're just waiting for the next song. There have been hints Drake has something brewing — get your ring lights and front-facing cameras ready.

BOGO DEAL: As of May 10, buy one Galaxy Watch 6 smartwatch at Samsung and get one free. Watch bundles start at $299.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 $299.99 at Samsung
Buy one, get one free Get Deal

Still trying to figure out what to get mom this year for Mother's Day? The holiday is fast approaching, but we've got one suggestion that's well worth investing in, even if it might not arrive by Sunday: a smartwatch! Specifically, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. Thanks to a limited-time sale, you can get one for mom and yourself for the price of one.

As of May 10, buy one Galaxy Watch 6 smartwatch starting at $299.99 and get a second one free. When making your watch selection, scroll down to the "Limited time bundle offers" section. Choose the details of your second watch, and then add to cart. You'll see your first watch starting at $299.99, then the second for free. You can get two watches for $299.99 (plus tax, etc.) this way, which is a stellar deal.

SEE ALSO: Grab these last-minute Mother's Day deals just in time for mom's big day

The Galaxy Watch 6 is a great-looking wearable that looks more like a traditional watch than its smart brethren. The mother figure in your life will love its aesthetics, and she can also use its wide variety of fitness and heart rate-tracking features as well as sleep coaching and heart rhythm scans. Plus, for Android users, it can sync to phones and make calls, send texts, control your phone camera remotely, and more.

Whether you or mom plan on using the watch's range of excellent features or just want to adorn your wrists with some fun eye candy, this is a deal that'll definitely net you some kudos this Mother's Day. Lock yours in now while the deal is still active.

Luca Guadagnino's Challengers leaves you wanting more — more tennis, more sexual tension, more techno, more grunting, more of Zendaya's swishing bob, more of Josh O'Connor's hairy thighs, more of Mike Faist's pert butt. And there's only one thing sustaining your Challengers cravings before your inevitable subsequent viewing: fan edits. 

SEE ALSO: 'Challengers' love triangle is 'Twilight' for people not afraid to see boys kiss

The day after the film hit theaters, the internet was flooded with video edits showcasing the movie's most captivating — and hottest — moments. These impressive fan creations range in tone from playful montages of Patrick (O'Connor)'s most lethal moments set to "I'm Too Sexy" to the perfect pairing of Lorde's "Tennis Court" with a highlight reel of the film.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

The edits draw from various sources, including the film's trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, and even the scene dissected by The New York Times' "Anatomy of a Scene" series (including the fan-favorite sequence of Art and Patrick eating churros).

However, there's a side to these edits that casual viewers might not be aware of: the use of "cam quality" clips and grainy videos ripped from illicit recordings of the film.

"There are two cam versions of Challengers that I'm aware of," Kenzie, a 19-year-old student and fancam editor in South Carolina, told Mashable. "One has fewer watermarks and slot machines [logos] than the other." These watermarks, often advertising gambling sites, are a common sight in pirated versions of films uploaded to various piracy websites — part of a quid pro quo relationship between online betting and bootleg sites. 

These watermarks are visible in many of the most famous Challengers fancams. A video dedicated to Art (Faist) features a blue "1xBet" logo. "Slotslights.net" pops up in bold white lettering in a different Art edit. Both have since been removed from Twitter but remain up on Instagram. 

While the recordings speed up fans' ability to revisit the film's highlights, using cam-quality video clips is somewhat controversial among fan editors. None of the four editors Mashable spoke to (three of which use cam recordings) opposed the use of the pirated version of the film for ethical reasons. It was all about the aesthetics of their craft. Many told Mashable they prefer to wait for the HD pirated version to come out — usually available once a film goes streaming. However, the online frenzy over Challengers means that these cam-quality edits are in hot demand, and with a month-long window between its release and its premiere on video-on-demand (VOD), the allure of cam clips is more vital than ever. 

"I had a lot to say about [Challengers], but I wasn't sure how to articulate it, so I decided to make edits instead," Alison* told Mashable.

Bootlegging popular movies has been a profitable venture for decades, but as fan editors work within a changing film industry, their currency has waned. Since the pandemic began, more films have gone straight to streaming or do so soon after their theatrical release, making cam-quality videos less popular among editors. The editors I spoke to pointed to movies like Bottoms, The Ballad of Bongbirds and Snakes, Priscilla, and Spider-Man: No Way Home as a few recent exceptions. But, as Kenzie observes, Challengers has reinvigorated the demand. She says it has produced the most cam-quality edits she has ever seen in her six years of creating. 

Alison, who chose to remain anonymous out of fear that speaking publicly about cam-recorded clips would ostracize them from the fan edit community, prefers to use HD clips in their edits. "I usually tend to wait, but that's because the quality usually lowers a lot when you post it," they told Mashable. Despite their usual preferences, they have posted cam-quality Challengers edits. Before being removed from Twitter for copyright, the videos were some of their most popular fan edits.

On the other hand, Kenzie doesn't wait for the HD version. "I'm impatient. When I want to edit something, I want to do it then," she said. "With a film like Challengers, all the hype, demands for edits, and everyone talking about it, people want to see all the scenes in the film."

Editors don't seem concerned about involving themselves in the world of piracy. The nature of fan edits already subjects their accounts to copyright strikes, usually for music. TikTok is stringent on music copyright, so editors will circumvent by pitching up or slowing down a copyrighted song. But it happens on Twitter as well. Getting copyrighted for the clips is rare, but it has been a problem for editors using cam-recorded Challengers clips on Twitter. 

Scene pack accounts: the backbone of the fan edit community

The catch: Kenzie and other eager editors don't access the pirated movie themselves. "I don't know how to do all that. [I've got] no tech genius whatsoever. I don't know how people download them, but props to them," she said. Like most fan editors, she relies on what are known as "scene pack accounts" to make edits. 

"[The accounts] will download the movie onto a MEGA file. Or some of them will put clips of a certain character and then put them on another link so that you can download it — which makes it much easier to edit," Ash, another fan editor, explained to Mashable.

These accounts live on Instagram, posting MEGA links to specific ripped content in the caption of aesthetically themed grid posts. They are the first stop on the path to a perfect fan edit. Dominique Thomas, a 25-year-old from Moline, Illinois, runs a scene pack account with another fan editor. 

To make a scene pack for a film, Thomas first watches the movie, then downloads it, and looks at DMs to see which character is most requested. "If they're a main character, we try to stick with their most popular moments in a film. You don't want it to be super long because that can also make an editor's life hard," they told Mashable. Then, they isolate the popular scenes and upload them to MEGA. Often, fan editors return requesting additional scenes, and Thomas obliges. 

Each editor approaches their process differently, leading to various in-demand scenes. For example, Alison focuses on lyrical parallels. "I like to match certain scenes to lyrics; that's where most of my editing comes from," they told Mashable.

Making scene packs is a time-consuming process, and that labor, what it takes to pull scenes for fan edits, is why so many fan editors rely on scene pack accounts. Thomas made three scene packs for A24's The Iron Claw, one for each of the leading brothers played by Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen-White, and Harris Dickinson. It took an entire day to create. But it's done out of a love for the craft. "I love watching other people's edits. I love it when people tag me in edits…that's why we started it," said Thomas. 

Like subtle merch and fanfiction, scene pack accounts are a part of fandom where the love of the object of your fandom drives creation and community — unconstrained by capitalism. 

SEE ALSO: What is subtle merch? Cracking the coded messages of fandom that are all over TikTok

Running a scene pack account is a labor of love but does not come without its downsides. Between competing scene pack accounts and demanding fan editors, acting as the go-between between the film (or its bootleggers) and editors can be stressful. 

Thomas is an editor who avoids using cam-quality edits, but if there's demand for cam-quality scene packs of a movie, they will still make them. "If I can be of any kind of help to people, then I have no problem," they said. Thomas immediately knew that Challengers was going to be one of those films. "Sometimes, when a trailer drops, you can anticipate how big something will be," said Thomas.

"Anything from that movie is an edit; somebody will edit it, whether it be the diaries or a 30-second TV spot. This movie is huge in the editing community," said Thomas. "And I think it still will be, even when it comes out in HD. You're going to have months and months of Challengers edits."

The next time you watch a Tashi Duncan edit, remember that the sweaty Challengers videos on your FYP are a labor of love, much like tennis.

UP TP 20% OFF: As of May 10, get up to 20% off Lego Icons Building Sets for Mother's Day. From beautiful flower bouquets to stylish succulents, find the perfect gift for every Lego-loving mom.

Our top picks: Best Lego deal overall Lego Icons Flower Bouquet Building Set (10280) $47.99 at Amazon (save $12 ) Get Deal Best runner-up Lego deal Lego Icons Succulents Building Set (10309) $39.99 at Amazon (save $10) Get Deal Best budget Lego deal Lego Cherry Blossoms Building Set (40725) $9.59 at Amazon (save $5.40) Get Deal

Mother’s Day is right around the corner (it’s Sunday), and if you haven’t found something special for your mom yet, we've got the perfect suggestion: Lego Icons Bouquet sets.

These unique sets offer a creative twist on traditional flower bouquets so your mom can enjoy beautiful flowers that’ll never wilt or fade. You can build them together or surprise her by presenting a fully constructed bouquet that showcases your artistic skills (and commitment to making her smile).

SEE ALSO: Celebrate spring blooms with flowery Lego sets on sale for 20% off at Amazon

While the Lego Icon Building sets are usually pricey, we found some pretty good discounts at Amazon. As of May 10, you can get 20% off select Lego Icons Building sets (and other flower-themed Lego sets).

Here are our favorite Lego deals going on right now:

Best Lego deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Icons Flower Bouquet Building Set (10280) $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Lego Icons Flower Bouquet Building Set (10280) is a 756-piece set to create a classic, bright bouquet featuring mixed flowers such as roses, daisies, and snapdragons, all meticulously designed to resemble real flowers. There are 15 stems in total, all of various lengths. Build this with the mother figure in your life for a fun bonding activity. When you're done, mom will have a forever-fresh bouquet to remind her of you.

Best runner-up Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Icons Succulents Building Set (10309) $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Lego Icons Succulents Building Set (10309) is another Botanical Collection favorite. This 771-piece set includes nine artificial succulents, each with its own unique design. Thanks to their locking build system, these succulents can be arranged in different pots or placed together to create a mini-garden. If your mom prefers a low-maintenance and stylish alternative to traditional flowers, this Lego Icons Succulents Building Set is a solid choice.

Best budget Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Cherry Blossoms Building Set (40725) $9.59 at Amazon
$14.99 Save $5.40 Get Deal Why we like it

The Lego Cherry Blossoms Building Set (40725) isn’t a full bouquet, but it's still a beautiful and affordable option for Mother's Day. At just $9.59, this 430-piece set includes two cherry blossom cuttings that look chic in a small vase or displayed with other spring-themed Lego sets, like the Lotus Flowers Building Kit or Sunflowers Building Kit.

The auctioneer’s website was taken offline on Thursday evening and remained down on Friday, days before its spring auctions were set to begin.

OpenAI's rumored ChatGPT search engine is reportedly launching on Monday. Oh, and that happens to be a day before Google's flagship developer conference.

Initially believed to launch on May 9 or sometime this week, now the Google Search rival is expected May 13 — right before Google I/O, according to Reuters.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic's ChatGPT rival Claude is now available on iOS What might a ChatGPT search engine be like?

A ChatGPT search engine may look like an existing Google experiment called SGE (Search Generative Experience) which provides chatbot responses at the top of the search page, followed by the traditional list of links. SGE is still in a testing ground, although it is quietly creeping into some non-testers search queries.

The original ChatGPT is already considered an alternative to a search engine. Its current knowledge cutoff date is May 2023, making it a useful resource for general information-gathering in a conversational chat interface. For a brief time, ChatGPT was connected to the internet through an integration with Microsoft Bing, but it was disabled because the chatbot was able to get past paywalled content.

This, plus an ongoing struggle between publishers and OpenAI over scraping their stories without credit or compensation has made ChatGPT's position as an aggregator of newsworthy information controversial. Currently, OpenAI is dealing with lawsuits from The New York Times and other news outlets over plagiarism and copyright infringement, while inking licensing deals with the Axel Springer, the Financial Times, and Dotdash Meredith to use their content to train its AI models and surface information from their sites.

Other sites have simply blocked OpenAI from crawling their pages for content to feed the company's AI models.

How ongoing licensing disputes will impact a ChatGPT search engine — the ostensible purpose of which is to surface real-time information — remains unclear. What is clear is that OpenAI is taking a direct shot at Google. In case you've been living under a rock that doesn't have internet access, Google completely dominates the search engine market. A ChatGPT search engine would be a direct attempt to compete with Google Search.

Microsoft Bing's AI-powered search engine (now rebranded as Copilot) hasn't really made a dent in Google's search market dominance. But it hasn't stopped others from trying to take Google's crown. Perplexity AI founded by former OpenAI and Google employees is a search engine that uses a collection of LLMs, and currently has a $1 billion valuation. So OpenAI's search engine would be competing against the old guard and new startups nipping at its heels.

And step one is upstaging Google at its own party.

GET $10 BACK WITH GIFT CARD PURCHASE: Through May 12, get a $10 Target gift card when you shop at least $75 in select Choice gift cards at Target.

Opens in a new window Credit: Target Select gift cards Get a $10 Target gift card when you buy at least $75 in select Choice gift cards at Target Shop Now

Buying presents for mom can be tough, especially if she's the type of person who already seems to have everything. Sometimes it's better to just let the mother figure in your life buy exactly what she wants. That's where Choice gift cards come in; the funds from one gift card can go to several different retailers so the giftee can shop as they please. And you can get a little extra back if you buy some at Target through Mother's Day.

Through May 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get a free $10 Target gift card when you shop at least $75 in select Choice gift cards at Target in-store or online. That's a little something for mom and yourself, or you can be generous and give the extra to mom as well. The $10 gift card back means you're technically saving $10 on your overall purchase.

SEE ALSO: Grab these last-minute Mother's Day deals just in time for mom's big day

Target's Choice gift cards unite a handful of brands and retailers under one easy-to-use gift card, letting shoppers pick between thoughtful themes like travel, dining, and beauty. From Ulta and Nordstrom to Southwest and Airbnb, you can find plenty of mom's favorite brands in one convenient place.

Shop Target's Choice gift card promotion by May 12 to earn a $10 Target gift card.

On Jan. 6, 2021, QAnon conspiracy theorists played a significant role in inciting Donald Trump supporters to storm the Capitol building in D.C., hoping to overturn the 2020 election in favor of Trump.

Days later, Twitter suspended tens of thousands of QAnon accounts, effectively banning most users who promote the far-right conspiracy theory. 

Now, a new study from Newsguard has uncovered that since Elon Musk acquired the company, QAnon has had a resurgence on X, formerly Twitter, over the past year.

QAnon grows on X

Tracking commonly used QAnon phrases like "QSentMe," "TheGreatAwakening," and "WWG1WGA" (which stands for "Where We Go One, We Go All"), Newsguard found that these QAnon-related slogans and hashtags have increased a whopping 1,283 percent on X under Musk.

From May 1, 2023 to May 1, 2024, there were 1.12 million mentions of these QAnon supporter phrases on X. This was a huge uptick from the 81,100 mentions just one year earlier from May 1, 2022 to May 1, 2023.

One of the most viral QAnon-related posts of the year, on the "Frazzledrip" conspiracy, has received more than 21.8 million views, according to the report. Most concerning, however, is that it was posted by a right-wing influencer who has specifically received support from Musk.

The Jan. 2024 tweet was posted by @dom_lucre, a user with more than 1.2 million followers who commonly posts far-right conspiracy theories. In July 2023, @dom_lucre was suspended on then-Twitter. Responding to @dom_lucre's supporters, Musk shared at the time that @dom_lucre was "suspended for posting child exploitation pictures."

Sharing child sexual abuse material or CSAM would result in a permanent ban on most platforms. However, Musk decided to personally intervene in favor of @dom_lucre and reinstated his account.

Since then, @dom_lucre has posted about how he earns thousands of dollars directly from X. The company allows him to monetize his conspiratorial posts via the platform's official creator monetization program.

Musk has also previously voiced his support for Jacob Chansely, a QAnon follower known as the "QAnon Shaman," who served prison time for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

The dangers of QAnon 

QAnon's adherents follow a number of far-right conspiracy theories, but broadly (and falsely) believe that former President Trump has been secretly battling against a global cabal of Satanic baby-eating traffickers, who just happen to primarily be made up of Democratic Party politicians and Hollywood elites.

Unfortunately, these beliefs have too often turned deadly. Numerous QAnon followers have been involved in killings fueled by their beliefs. In 2022, one Michigan man killed his wife before being fatally shot in a standoff with police. His daughter said her father spiraled out of control as he fell into the QAnon conspiracies. In 2021, another QAnon conspiracy theorists killed his two young children, claiming that his wife had "Serpent DNA" and his children were monsters.

Of course, QAnon never completely disappeared from social media platforms. Its followers still espoused their beliefs albeit in a more coded manner over the past few years to circumvent social media platforms' policies. Now, though, QAnon believers are once again being more open about their radical theories.

The looming November 2024 Presidential election likely plays a role in the sudden resurgence of QAnon on X, as QAnon-believing Trump supporters look to help their chosen candidate. However, Musk and X have actively welcomed these users to their social media service, eagerly providing them with a platform to spread their dangerous falsehoods.

Amazon deals of the day at a glance: OUR TOP PICK 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1149.99 with on-page coupon (save $149.01) Get Deal BEST KITCHEN DEAL Ninja Woodfire Pizza Oven $279.99 at Amazon (save $120) Get Deal BEST HOME DEAL Roborock Q7 Max robot vacuum and mop $299.99 at Amazon (save $300) Get Deal BEST TECH DEAL 2022 Apple iPad Air (WiFi, 256GB) $599 at Amazon (save $150) Get Deal

Whether you're looking for a last-minute Mother's Day gift or simply want to do a little retail therapy heading into the weekend, you can save up to 50% at Amazon today with our top deal picks. We've already scoured the pages of deals to find the best ones worth your hard-earned cash on May 10.

Here are the best Amazon deals of the day. Make sure to look back at our top picks for May 8 and May 9 as well — many of those are still live.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Amazon deal of the day: 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,149.99 at Amazon
$1,299.00 Save $149.01 with on-page coupon Get Deal

It may not appear much different from the M2 MacBook Air on the outside, but the new M3 model packs a punch on the inside. Besides the zippier M3 chip — which is an impressive 60 percent faster than the M1 chip and about 15 percent faster than the M2 chip — it also features WiFi 6E and has support for up to two 5K, 60Hz external displays (when it's closed). Mashable's Kimberly Gideon tested it out and was highly impressed with its powerful performance. "The 15-inch M3 MacBook Air continues to blur the line of the Air and Pro models, providing ample “oomph” for creatives, professionals, and students who need robust performance that can handle their multifaceted workflows," she writes. As of May 10, the base model for the 15-inch M3 Air (with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD) is down to just $1,149.99 at Amazon when you clip the on-page coupon. That's a total of $149.01 in savings and its lowest price on record.

Read our full review of the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Woodfire Pizza Oven $279.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $120.00 with on-page coupon Get Deal

Turn your patio into an outdoor kitchen with the Ninja Woodfire Pizza Oven, an eight-in-one device that can whip up delicious pizza, roast, broil, bake, smoke, dehydrate, and more. A pizza oven at heart, though, you can create artisan pizzas in just a few minutes with five different options to choose from: Neapolitan, thin crust, New York, pan, or frozen. If you use it to cook something other than pizza, its massive capacity can squeeze in a 12-pound turkey, nine-pound pork shoulder, 12-pound prime rib dinner with veggies, and a standard casserole dish. Typically $399.99, you can save $120 at Amazon as of May 10 and snag it at an all-time low of $279.99 with the on-page coupon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Q7 Max robot vacuum and mop $299.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal

If you're late with spring cleaning this season, do yourself a favor and grab a robot that can tackle two different tasks for you: vacuuming and mopping. The Roborock Q7 Max is on sale for 50% off at Amazon as of May 10 and fits the bill with its powerful 4200 Pa suction and electronic pump with 30 water flow levels. It also offers precise mapping of your home, a 180-minute runtime, and support for the Auto Empty Dock Pure (which is currently out of stock). Snag it on sale for only $299.99, its lowest price on record, for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 2022 Apple iPad Air (WiFi, 256GB) $599.00 at Amazon
$749.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal

The new iPad Air is here, which means the previous generation is back down to its all-time low price. As of May 10, you can score the 2022 iPad Air with WiFi and 256GB for only $599 instead of $749. That's 20% in savings and knocks the 256GB model down to the price of the 64GB model. It may not sport the latest M3 chip, but the 2022 iPad Air is "elegant, powerful, and versatile enough for both casual users and professionals," according to Mashable's Stan Schroeder. It may technically be out of date in 2024, but make no mistake: the M1 chip is still extremely powerful.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

Asus is adding onto the rapidly accelerating market for handheld gaming PCs.

About a year after launching the ROG Ally as a Windows-based competitor to the Steam Deck, Asus is back with its own version of the Steam Deck OLED. According to the Verge, this new version of the ROG Ally will be called the ROG Ally X.

SEE ALSO: MSI Claw could fix the biggest problem with Steam Deck Asus ROG Ally X: Everything we know

The Asus ROG Ally X be an iteration of the previous model rather than a straight up sequel. After all, it's the ROG Ally X, not the ROG Ally 2.

What that means is the AMD Z1 Extreme chipset and 120Hz display powering the original ROG Ally are still intact and unchanged, but there are other internal improvements. Asus SVP Shawn Yen told The Verge to expect more than a "30 to 40 percent" increase in battery life, for example, without giving away the actual specs of the device ahead of its June 2 unveiling.

The device could also allow for a wider variety of SSD upgrades and increased repairability, but again, we'll have to wait a few weeks to find out more details.

As much as I love the Steam Deck OLED, I'm down for more competition in the handheld PC space. It's just wild to think that almost nobody played PC games this way two years ago.

Mother's Day is only two days away, as it falls on May 12 this year. If you've been scrambling to find the perfect gift for the mother figure in your life, you don't have to stress anymore. We found plenty of last-minute Mother's Day gift deals at Amazon (for the mom who loves everything from tech to fitness to coffee) that will arrive on or before Mother's Day when you order today.

Best last-minute Mother's Day deals to shop today: Best deal for the active mom Original Peloton Bike $1,250 at Amazon (save $195) Get Deal Best earbuds deal for mom Beats Fit Pro $159.99 at Amazon (save $39.96) Get Deal Best deal for the coffee-loving mom Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine $188.30 at Amazon (save $80.70) Get Deal Best device deal for mom Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet $199.99 at Amazon (save $80) Get Deal Best deal for the health-focused mom Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm) $299.99 at Amazon (save $99.01) Get Deal

While finding the perfect gift for someone as special as mom can be a challenging job, we like to opt for something thoughtful that will make her life easier. From comfortable noise-canceling earbuds to a fitness-tracking watch, here are our favorite last-minute Mother's Day gift ideas.

Best deal for the active mom Opens in a new window Credit: Peloton Original Peloton Bike $1,250.00 at Amazon
$1,445.00 Save $195.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If mom's routine revolves around getting to her favorite cycling class, hitting the bike trails, and making sure she gets her steps in, the Peloton Original Bike could be perfect for enabling her to enjoy her favorite workouts right at home. The formidable exercise bike is sleek and slim enough to not disrupt her space and is packed with controls and features for her to explore. For $44 per month, you can also gift mom a Peloton All-Access Membership, giving her access to Peloton's full library of content.

Best earbuds deal for mom Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Fit Pro $159.99 at Amazon
$195.95 Save $35.96 Get Deal Why we like it

Whether mom is a music, podcast, or audiobook junkie, a pair of noise-canceling headphones can let her enjoy her favorite entertainment without disruptions no matter where she is. The Beats Fits Pro noise-canceling earbuds are available in ten different fun colors and can switch between three different listening modes. With comfortable wingtips and sweat-resistant materials, these earbuds make comfort a priority.

Best deal for the coffee-loving mom Opens in a new window Credit: Nespresso Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine $188.30 at Amazon
$269.00 Save $80.70 Get Deal Why we like it

If mom's day doesn't officially start until she's had her first sip of coffee, the Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine is a great way to treat her to delicious coffee and espresso drinks right at home. We also love that you don't have to have barista-worthy skills to use this machine. Thanks to its smart technology and Nespresso pods, mom can operate the machine with the push of a button and get a delectable drink.

Best device deal for mom Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet $199.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If mom loves keeping up with her favorite shows — and her kids — the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet will help her stay connected to the things she cares about. The large, 11-inch screen is excellent for streaming shows and movies and makes video calling loved ones that much more immersive. Plus, this tablet is thin and light, so she can easily take it with her when she's traveling. With a 14-hour battery life, she'll be able to depend on it even on the busiest days.

Best deal for the health-focused mom Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm) $299.99 at Amazon
$399.00 Save $99.01 Get Deal Why we like it

The Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm) helps put mom's health in her own hands. If mom is always exploring the latest workouts and staying up on new findings on health and wellness, she'll love how the Apple Watch Series 9 is packed with health-focused features. She can take an ECG at any time, monitor her heart rhythm, track her sleep stages, and even use the Apple Watch as a mindfulness tool, tracking her state of mind and emotions.

Officials said the decision would lower bills and encourage people to use cars and appliances that did not use fossil fuels, but some experts said it would discourage energy efficiency.

SAVE $50: As of May 10, the Google Pixel Watch 2 (WiFi) is available for just $299.99 at Amazon, down from $349.99. That's a 14% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Our pick: Google Pixel Watch 2 (WiFi) $299.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

If you’re scrambling to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift (it’s on Sunday, you know), there’s still time to get the mother figure in your life something that doesn’t say I got this last-minute. For example, the Google Pixel Watch 2 (WiFi) is on sale right now and makes for a chic and thoughtful gift that she’ll love.

As of May 10, the Google Pixel Watch 2 (WiFi) is available for just $299.99 at Amazon, down from $349.99. That’s a 14% discount and $50 off the listing price, making it a more affordable option for anyone looking to spoil their mom with a high-quality smartwatch.

SEE ALSO: The best smartwatch for every wrist

The Google Pixel Watch 2 comes in various colors to fit different personal styles. With three advanced sensors, this watch tracks heart rate, skin temperature, and stress management levels, providing users with valuable insights into their overall health and well-being.

The Auto Workout mode and Heart Zone Traning features help you stay active and monitor your fitness progress with the touch of a button. It’s also Bluetooth enabled, so you can connect it to your phone and receive notifications, calls, and texts directly on your wrist.

With a 24-hour battery life and a special fall detection feature, the wearer can feel safe and secure knowing that help will be notified in case of an accident or emergency.

From the Met Gala to the Apple Event that could have been an email, host Josh Burstein takes us on a comedic journey through the week's top stories.

A "horror-comedy with bite and heart", Ariane Louis-Seize's film follows a teen vampire who refuses to feast on humans.

Josh Margolin's feature debut "Thelma" sees June Squibb and Richard Roundtree tracking down a phone scammer in LA. Trailer.

Brazil floods: Drone footage shows the deadly scale of destruction

"Exploding Kittens" — the popular, crowdfunded card game — is coming to streaming with a new Netflix series.

House of the Dragon Season 2 is fast approaching, and what better way to get in the mood for it than by reminding ourselves just how gory Season 1 was?

The Game of Thrones' prequel's body count hasn't caught up with that of its eight-season origin show quite yet, but it's certainly on track. As we prepare for another outing in George R.R. Martin's brutal continent of Westeros, here's a breakdown of all the key deaths so far in House of the Dragon — from least to most gruesome.

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Lord Lyman Beesbury Credit: HBO

Cause of death: Murdered with marble of office

Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) doesn't quite rival Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith)'s body count in Season 1, but he makes a good go at it. Lord Lyman Beesbury (Bill Paterson) becomes one of his victims when he makes the terrible mistake of protesting about Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) sitting on the Iron Throne instead of Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy). Ser Criston's response? Smashing his head down onto Beesbury's marble of office, a little round stone that kills him instantly on impact.

Lady Rhea Royce Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Cause of death: Murdered with a rock

Being in close proximity to Daemon Targaryen is a perilous situation. In episode 5 we get a (brief) introduction to Lady Rhea Royce (Rachel Redford), Daemon's wife, shortly before he knocks her off her horse in broad daylight and then – presumably – murders her with a rock offscreen. Pretty shocking and gruesome, sure, but this one is low on the list because we don't see the actual death itself.

Harwin Strong Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Cause of death: Murdered by house fire

We also don't see Harwin Strong's (Ryan Corr) death, which is due to a fire at Harrenhal, but we do see the build-up. What makes this one more unpleasant is the fact that Harwin's father, Lord Lyonel Strong (Gavin Spokes), dies along with him — and what makes it even worse is the fact that Harwin's own brother Larys (Matthew Needham) arranges for the building to be burned down.

Lucerys Velaryon Credit: HBO

Cause of death: Chomped mid-air by a dragon

You've got to feel a bit sorry for Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault). The minute he steps into Storm's End and sees Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), you know things aren't going to end well. Exactly how not well is made clear once he tries to flee on his dragon Arrax, only for Aemond to give chase on his significantly larger dragon Vhagar. Arrax goes rogue and breathes fire on the chasing dragon, only for Vhagar to decide enough is enough: He goes against his master's wishes and basically chomps both Arrax and Lucerys in two. One of the major moments of the Season 1 finale, it's not the most gruesome death in the series – you don't really see much gore – but it's certainly a shocking one.

Crabfeeder Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

Cause of death: Cut in half

Craghas Draghar (Daniel Scott-Smith), or Crabfeeder to his friends, initially appears to be one of the main villains in the first season — at least until he comes face-to-mask with Daemon. During a memorable dragon-assisted battle in episode 3, Daemon takes the fight to the Crabfeeder's beach and pursues him into a cave. When Daemon comes back out, he's dragging approximately 50 percent of Craghas behind him.

Ser Vaemond Velaryon Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Cause of death: Head sliced in half

That's right, it's yet another death caused by Daemon, who racks up the body count in Season 1 faster than you can say "Valar Morghulis". This time the victim is Ser Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson), who makes the bad mistake of calling Rhaenyra's son Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) a bastard in front of the king himself. Vaemond's head is quickly sliced in half, but the really gruesome bit is the close-up of what's left of him, including his tongue hanging out of what remains of his head. Ick.

King Viserys Targaryen Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Cause of death: A painfully slow infection of wounds

King Viserys (Paddy Considine) gets not one but two death scenes in House of the Dragon, but he is essentially killed by the Iron Throne itself. What starts with an infected cut in episode 1 quickly leads to parts of his body literally rotting away, with the fifth Targaryen king eventually having to wear a mask to conceal the damage his condition has done to him. Is it as abrupt and bloody as some of the deaths in the show? No. But slowly losing body parts to rot is not something we'd wish on anyone.

Ser Joffrey Lonmouth Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Cause of death: Beaten to death

Turns out a House of the Dragon wedding is almost as terrible as a Game of Thrones one. The victim in episode 5's marriage is Ser Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod), who makes the very bad mistake of goading Ser Criston Cole about his fling with bride Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock). The result? A brutal beating-to-death at Cole's hands, and a very unpleasant close-up of Joffrey's bloodied, caved-in face.

Queen Aemma Arryn Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Cause of death: Childbirth

The first key death in the show sets the tone for what's to come. Queen Aemma Arryn (Sian Brooke) goes into labor at the end of episode 1, but there are complications. Her husband, King Viserys, is called into the room and told that the maesters may be able to save his son by carrying out a caesarean section, but the procedure will result in the death of his wife. Forced to choose, he tells them to go ahead. It's a truly horrifying sequence made even more upsetting by the fact that the child dies anyway shortly after the Queen passes.

Laena Velaryon Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Cause of death: Burned to death by her own dragon during childbirth

Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell), daughter of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen and Lord Corlys Velaryon (Eve Best and Steve Toussaint), and Daemon's wife, endures the most gruesome, harrowing death of House of the Dragon.

In yet another horrifying childbirth sequence in episode 6, we once again see a maester giving a father unimaginable news after complications arise in labor: a fatal c-section is the only way to potentially save the baby. Daemon asks if Laena will survive the procedure, and when the answer is "no", it's clear Laena hears the exchange. She decides to take her fate into her own hands. Laena staggers outside and gives her dragon Vhagar one last order, "Dracarys," which the dragon visibly struggles with, before burning her and her unborn child to death. A truly upsetting scene.

How to watch: House of the Dragon Season 1 is streaming on Max.